Pipe-pusher.



W. H. ABBOTT & H.-G. BAKER.

PIPE PUSHER.

APPLICATION FILED mlm, 1910.

968,022. -Iatented Aug. 23, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFTCE.

WLLIAM H. ABBOTT AND HORACE G. BAKER, OF HABLAN, IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO BAKER AND MARTIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HABLAN, IOWA.

PIPE-PUSHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug 23, 191()- Application filed March 5, 1910. Serial No. 547,599.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. ABBOTT and HORACE G. BAKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Harlan, in the county of Shelby and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Pushers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices or apparatus for forcing pipes through the ground, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which will do away with the necessity for digging ditches or the making of other excavations as at present necessary, in the laying of pipes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and durable construction to obtain this result, which may easily be placed in position for operation, which will be composed of few and simple parts, and which may be adapted to drive the pipe in any direction desired.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a construction whereby to automatically engage and release the pipe in the operation of forcing the same forward through the ground.

This invention also has for its object to provide a construction wherein the pipe engaging means may be reversed for withdrawing pipe without reversing the whole machine and is also designed to have a maximum amount of leverage on the pipe consistent with the size of parts employed.

lith these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds the invention consists in certain construction and arrangements of the parts as will be hereinafter fully described and the novel features pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved pipe pusher; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the adaptation of our invention; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one side of the carriage showing the formation of the rack thereon; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the filler blocks employed. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the pipe engaging blocks mounted in the carriage. Fig. 7 is al side view showing the modified form of our invention.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all t-he views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates a track which'may be cast or otherwise formed of suitable metal and which in the present instance is composed of two oppositely spaced angle bars, 2, secured together at intervals throughout their length by. the transversely extending cleats 3. Preferably a cleat is disposed near each end of the track and said end cleats are provided with apertures t near their ends which are designed to receive stakes 5 for securing the track to the ground. Mounted to slide in said track is the carriage 6, which may also be cast or otherwise constructed of the proper material found most desirable and which is preferably formed in one piece. Said carriage is of a proper width to be received between the bars 2 of the track 1 and consists of the base portion 7 having the angularly disposed sides 8 and is designed to slide back and forth freely on said track.

The carriage 6 is provided near each end with a pair of oppositely disposed ears 9 which extend at right angles to the base 7. Each pair of ears 9 is provided near their upper extremities wit-h apertures 10 designed to receive pintles 11 on which are pivotally mounted dogs 12. Said pintles 11 are adapted to be easily removed4 so that the dogs 12 may be reversed for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Extending perpendicularly from the body portion 13 of the dogs 12 are provided aws 14 which are preferably concave on the under side and are sharpened at their extremities to readily engage a pipe. Above the jaws 14 between the upper surface thereof and the body portion of the dogs 12 sockets 15 are formed in the dogs, said sockets bcing adapted to receive arms 16 which are designed to carry weights or balls 17 at their extremities. lt will thus be clear that the weights 17 will normally' hold the jaws 14 into operative engagement with a pipe.

Secured to one of the transverse braces 3 at its ends are brackets 18 to which is pivotally connected at one end in any suitable way the lever 19. Said lever is bifrucated at its lower end forming the arms 20 which are designed to straddle the track 1 in such manner as to allow free movement of the carriage 6 between said arms. The upper portion of said leverI forms a handle 21 which may be of any desired length.

Pivotally secured at one end to the arms 20 near the lower extremities thereof are pawls 22 which are normally designed to engage the racks 23 formed on the base 7 of the carriage 6. Said racks are located eX- terior to the side portions S of the carriage and extend throughout the length of the same. 1t will therefore be clear that on the forward movement of the lever 19 the carriage G will be. caused to move forward over the track 1.

he carriage (3 is designed to carry near each end the blocks 2st which are adapted to be received between the sides S of said carriage and rest against the base portion thereof. To hold the blocks in position the carriage has formed on the inner walls of the sides S near each end, two pairs of oppo sitcly disposed ribs 25 which are designed to be received within the recess 26 formed in the edges of said blocks. These blocks 2t are preferably concave on their' upper surface, as shown, to readily receive a pipe and are serrated to effectually engage the same.

It will be understood that the blocks 24 may be removed at any time, being slidably mounted between the ribs 25 and to compensate for different diameters of pipes, filler blocks 27 are provided. Said filler blocks 27 are of a proper length to be readily received between the sides 8 of the carriage and may be varied in width and thickness as desired. When a pipeisinserted in the carriage G, being carried by the blocks 2i the diameter of said pipe not admitting of the dogs 12 engaging the same, the filler `blocks 2T may be inserted underneath the blocks 241 to raise the latter, thus adapting my invention to different sizes of pipes.

ln F ig. 5, we have illustrated a modied form of my improved pipe pusher in which instead of employing a rack and dogs as a means of forcing the carriage forward, we provide the arms 28. Said arms are pivotally secured at one end to the sides of the carriage near the upper edges thereof and.

about intermediate of the `ends of the same. The opposite ends of said arms are pivotally Y.secured to the arms 2Oa of the lever 19a near operation of our invention will be apparent.

A pilot 29 is employed which is formed from a section of pipe any desired length having one end sharpened to more readily enter the ground as illustrated in Fig. 2. r1"he opposite end thereof is adapted to have a pipe secured thereto. Said pilot is designed to be carried by the carriage 6 being engaged by the blocks 24 and the dogs 12, said dogs being held into engagement theren with by the weights 17. In this position the carriage is at the rear end of the track 1. The lever 19 is then operated causing the pawls 22 to engage the racks 23 thereby forcing the carriage forward over the track. On the return of the carriage the dogs 12 will slide over the pipe, the same being held by the pressure of the ground. It will, however, be noted that said dogs 12 are constantly held ready for engagement with said pipe on the forward movement of the carriage, by the weights 17. The foregoing operation may be repeated as many times as is required to complete the work. To withdraw the pipe without reversing the machine, the arms 2S should be employed as shown in the modified form of our invention, in which event the dogs 12 should be reversed by removing the pintles 11 when the lever may be operated and thereby causing said dogs to engage the pipe on the backward thrust of said lever, the pawls 22 being thrown clear back. The carriage 6 will in all instances, be provided with the racks 23 so that the pawls 22 or arms 28 may be used alternately on all machines as mav be desired.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a `very eiicient construction for the purposes above set forth while at the same time com bining simplicity therewith and thereby admitting of manufacture and sale at cost within the reach of all classes of users.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, dogs pivotally mounted on said carriage for engagement with a pipe or the like, and means for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

2. A device of the character described comprising a track, said track being formed of two oppositely spaced angle bars, transversely extending cleats secured to the base of said bars and spaced longitudinally thereof, stakes for securing the track to the ground, a carriage slidably mounted on said track and provided with pipe engaging means and means for forcing said carriage forward over the track.

3. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, said carriage being provided wi'th sides having a pair of oppositely disposed tears formed therein near each end,

dogs pivotally mounted in said ears for engagement with a pipe or the like, and means for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

4f. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, dogs pivotally mounted on said carriage, jaws formed on said dogs for .engagement with a pipe or the like, a

weight secured to said dogs and spaced therefrom for normally holding the jaws into operative engagement with said pipe andl means for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

5. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, dogs pivotally mounted thereon and provided with sockets, arms adapted to be received in said sockets, weights disposed at the outer ends of said arms, jaws formed on said dogs below the sockets and adapted to engage a pipe or the like, and means for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

6. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, weight operated dogs pivotally mounted on said carriage and adapted to engage a pipe or the like, racks formed on the outer edge of the base of said carriage and extending longitudinally thereof and means for forcing said carriage forward over the track.

7. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, dogs pivotally mounted on said carriage for engagement with a pipe or the like, a handle pivotally secured near its lower end to the track and means connected to said handle for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

8. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, means carried by said carriage for engagement with a pipe or the like, a handle bifurcated near its lower extremity to form arms, said arms being bent to arch over the track and be pivotally secured near their lower ends to opposite sides thereof, and means secured to said arms near their lower ends for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

9. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, weight operated dogs carred by said carriage for engagement with a pipe or the like, blocks mounted in the carriage underneath said dogs and adapted to engage said pipe and means for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

l0. A device of the character described, comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, transversely extending ribs formed on the inner sides of said carriage near the ends thereof, blocks adapted to engage a pipe or the like provided in their opposite edges with transversely extending recesses designed to receive said ribs, weight operated dogs pivotally mounted on the carriage above said blocks and means for forcing said carriage forward over the track.

l1. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, pipe engaging blocks mounted in said carriage, weight operated dogs pivotally mounted on the carriage above said blocks, filler blocks adapted to be inserted underneath the first named blocks for varying the distance between said blocks and the dogs and means for forcing the carriage forward over the track.

l2. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, means carried by said carriage for engagement with a pipe or the like, racks formed on the carriage, a lever, and pawls pivotally mountedthereon and adapted to engage the racks on the carriage to force the same forward over the track.

13. A device of the character described comprising a track, a carriage slidably mounted thereon, means carried thereby for engagement with a pipe or the like, racks formed on the base of the carriage exterior to the sides thereof and extending throughout the length of the same, a lever, and pawls pivotally mounted near one end to the lever near the lower extremities thereof, and adapted to engage said racks to force the carriage forward over the track.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. ABBOTT. [L. s]

HORACE Gr. BAKER. [1.. s] Witnesses:

SHELBY CULLIsoN,

BEN E. COLE. 

